Shirt



B. LIPPMAN Sept. 12, 1961 SHIRT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 50, 1958 Sept. 12 1961 B. LIPPMAN 2,999,245

SHIRT Filed Dec. 50, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M H. sJu-M Arm/M X United States Patent 2,989,245 SHIRT Bernard Lippman, 180 Madison Ave., New York '16, NE. Filed Dec. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 783,808 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-115) This invention relates to a shirt, and more particularly to a uniform shirt with which an epaulet can be worn.

There are many types of uniforms, such as naval oflicer uniforms, which sometimes require an epaulet to be worn directly on the shirt of the uniform. The shirts heretofore used for this purpose include a pair of loops, such as of cloth or leather, secured back to front across each shoulder of the shirt, to accommodate removable epaulets being secured to such straps. However, when the epaulets are removed from such shirts, the loops are clearly visible and unsightly. Therefore, such shirts can only be used when the epaulets are attached thereto. Thus, the users of such shirts must have two sets of shirts, one set with the loops for use with epaulets and one set without the loops for use when the epaulets are not to be worn. This necessity for having two sets of shirts is a considerable expense and inconvenience to the users of these shirts.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shirt with which a removable epaulet can be worn.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shirt which can be worn with or without an epaulet.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shirt having means for attaching an epaulet to the shirt which is a part of the design of the appearance of the shirt, so that the shirt can be worn with or without an epaulet.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently pre ferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of one modification of the shirt of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the shoulder of the shirt looking along line 2--2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2 with the upper section of epaulet being broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 4. I

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2 with the epaulet entirely removed.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 in FIGURE 6.

FIGURES is a sectional view takenalong line 9-9 in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE '10 is a plan view of the shoulder of another modification of the shirt'of the present invention.

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to that of FIGURE showing the epaulet in phantom.

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of the shoulder of another modification of the shirt of the present invention.

FIGURE 13 is a section on line 1313 of FIGURE12.

FIGURE 14 is a section on line 14-44 of FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 15 is a section on line 15-15 of FIGURE 12.

Referring initially to FIGURES 1 through 9 inclusive, the shirt of the present invention is generally designated as 28. Shirt comprises a body 22, sleeves 24, a collar 26, and pockets 28 which are assembled in the conventional manner.

A'yoke 5 .is attached pewt the a k p rt n .52 9

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the body 22 and the front portion 34 of the body 22 and the collar 26. Yoke 30 forms the shoulders of the shirt 2% in the usual manner. An underfacing 36 of the same size and shape as yoke 30 is also attached between the back 32 and front 34 of the body 22 beneath the yoke 30.

Across each shoulder portion of the yoke 30 is secured yoke piece 38. Although the yoke piece 38 on only one shoulder of the shirt 20 is shown and will be described, it is to be understood that the yoke piece on the other shoulder of the shirt 20 is identical to that shown.

Yoke piece 38 is made of the same material as the rest of the shirt 20. As shown in FIGURE 9, the material of yoke piece 38 may be two-ply for additional strength. However, if desired, the yoke piece 38 can be made of a single ply of the material. The two plies of the yoke piece 38 are sewn together along side edges 38a and 38b by single lines of stitching 48 and 42 respectively.

The front edge 380 of the yoke piece 38 extends along the front edge of the shoulder portion of the yoke 30, and is secured to the yoke 30 by the line of stitching 44 which secures the yoke 38 and underfacing 36 to the front portion 34 of the body 22. The back edge 38d of the yoke piece 38 extends along the back edge of the shoulder portion of the yoke 30, and is secured to the yoke 30 by the line of stitching 45 which secures the yoke 30 and underfacing 36 to the back portion 32 of the body 22. The width of the yoke piece 38 is smaller than the width of the shoulder portion of the yoke 38 so that the side edges 38:: and 38b of the yoke piece 38 are spaced from the sleeve 24 and collar 26 respectively. The side edge 38a of the yoke piece 38 is secured to the yoke 30 by lines of stitching 46 and 48 extending partially along the side edge 38a from the front edge 38c and back edge 38d of the yoke piece 38 respectively. The gap between the inner ends of the lines of stitching 46 and 48 provides an opening 58 between the side edge 38a of yoke piece 38 and the yoke 30 (see FIGURE 8). The spacing of the yoke piece 38 from the yoke 30 is greatly exaggerated in FIGURE 8 for the purposes of illustration. In actuality the yoke piece 38 will be as close to the yoke 30 as is feasible for the function to be described below, and the lines of stitching herein referred to will be as inconspicuous as possible. Thus, to the maximum extent possible the yoke piece 38 and the yoke 30 appear to be integral, in the absence of the epaulet. The side edge 38b of yoke piece 38 is secured to the yoke 38 by lines of stitching 52 and 54 extending partially along the side edge 38b from the front edge 38c and rear edge 38d of the yoke piece 38 respectively. The gap between the inner ends of the lines of stitching 52 and 54 provides an opening 56 between the side edge 38b of the yoke piece 38 and the yoke 39. The opening 56 is narrower than the opening 50 for reasons which will be explained below.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 4, the epaulet, the specific construction of which forms no part of the present invention, is generally designated as 58. Epaulet 58 comprises a rigid board 60 having the indicia of rank .62 and/or other ornamentation thereon. A strap 64 is secured at its wide end to the bottom surface of the board 60 adjacent the indicia-bearing end of the board 68. As shown in FIGURE 3, strap 64 tapers in width so that its snap fastener carrying end is narrower than its wide end which is attached to the board 60. The male portion 66 of a snap fastener is secured to the strap 64, and the female portion 68 of the snap fastener is secured to the bottom surface of the board 68 in mating alignment to such male portion 66.

The epaulet 58 is attached to the shirt 20 of the present invention in the following manner:

The snap fastener carrying end of the epaulet strap 64 is inserted through the opening-S0 between the side edge 38:; of yoke piece 38 and the yoke 30, Epaulet strap 64 is then slid between the yoke piece 38 and the yoke 30 until the snap fastener carrying end of the epaulet strap 64 projects through the opening 56 between the side edge 38b of the yoke piece 38 and the yoke 30. Yoke piece 38 is of a width which permits the snap fastener carrying end of the epaulet strap 64 to project beyond the side edge 38b of the yoke piece 38 a distance suflicient to expose the male portion 66 of the snap fastener. The board 643 of the epaulet 58 is then laid over and across the yoke piece 38, and the portions 65 and 68 of the snap fastener are snapped together.

The opening 56 between the side edge 38:) of the yoke piece 38 and the yoke 30 is narrower than the opening 50 between the side edge 38a of the yoke piece 38 and the yoke 30 to prevent the narrow end of the epaulet strap 64- frorn sliding from side to side. Thus the yoke piece 38' holds the epaulet 58 firmly in place on the shoulder portion of the shirt 20.

When the epaulet 58 is not secured to the shirt 20, the yoke piece 38 lies flat on the yoke 31!. Since the yoke piece 38 is made of the same material as the rest of the shirt 21 the yoke piece 38 does not have the appearance of being a strap, but has the appearance of being a part of the overall design of the shirt 20, being substantially indistinguishable from the yoke 30. Thus the shirt 21) of the present invention can be'worn with or without the epaulet 58.

FIGURES and 11 show another modification of the shirt of the present invention, which is generally desig nated as 20'. Shirt 20 is identical in construction to the shirt 219 shown in FIGURE 1, except as to the yoke piece 70.

Yoke piece 7% like yoke piece 38 of shirt 2b, is made of the same material as the rest of the shirt 20', which material may be folded over so as to be two-ply. Yoke piece 70 is triangular, and has lines of stitching 72 and 74 extending along its side edges 70a and 78b respectively which secure together the plies of yoke piece 70. Lines of stitching 76 and 78 extending across the yoke piece 70 may also be used to secure the plies of the yoke piece 70 together.

The base edge 70c of yoke piece 70 extends along the front edge of the yoke 36, and is secured to the yoke 30 by a line of stitching 80. The apex 70d of yoke piece 70 lies on the back edge of the yoke 30. Side edge 70a of the yoke piece 70 is attached to the yoke 31) by lines of stitching 82 and 84 extending partially along the side edge 70:: from the base edge 70c and the apex 70d respectively. The inner ends of the lines of stitching 82 and 84 are spaced apart leaving an opening between the side edge 70a of yoke piece 70 and the yoke 30. Side edge 7% of yoke piece 70 is attached to the yoke by lines of stitching 86 and 88 extending partially along the side edge 70b from the base edge 70c and the apex 78d respectively. The inner ends of the lines of stitching 86 and 88 are spaced apart leaving an opening between the side edge 7% of yoke piece 70 and the yoke 30.

As shown in FIGURE 11, the epaulet 58 is secured tothe shirt 20' by inserting the free end of the epaulet strap 64 through the opening between the side edge 711a of yoke piece 70 and the yoke 30. The epaulet strap 64 is then slid between the yoke piece 70 and the yoke 30 until the free end of the epaulet strap 64' projects through the opening between the side edge 7% and yoke piece 70 and the yoke 30. The board 60 of the epaulet 58 is then laid over and across the yoke piece 70, and fastened to the epaulet strap 64.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 12 through inclusive, which is presently preferred, the shirt is generally designated as 1610. Shirt 111i? is identical in construction to the shirts and 20' heretofore described, except for the differences set forth below.

The yoke which is formed between the back portion 102 and the front portion 104 is made up of the panels 4 110, 122, and 112. The yoke piece 118 is superposed above the panel 122 as more fully set forth below.

The panel is secured by stitching 111a to the back portion 102 and by stitching 111b to the front portion 104. The panel 110 is also joined by stitching to the collar 108. At its side opposite the collar 108 the panel 110 of the yoke is joined to the panel 122 of the yoke by stitching 113.

The line of stitching 115a joins the back edge of panel 122 to back portion 102 and to the back edge of yoke piece 118. The line of stitching 115b joins the front edge of panel 122' to front portion 104 and to the front edge of yoke piece 118 (see in particular FIGURES 12 and 15).

The panel 122 is joined by line of stitching 117 to the panel 112 of the yoke. The panel 112 of the yoke is joined by line of stitching 119a to the back portion 102 and by line of stitching 11917 to the front portion 104. The panel 112 is joined to the sleeve 106 by line of stitching 121.

Preferably, the aforesaid lines of stitching should be as inconspicuous as possible, and the ends of the yoke piece 108 which are adjacent respective panels 110 and 112 of the yoke should be abutting therewith, so that in the absence of an epaulet the shirt presents a normal yoke to the viewer. Thus, by forming all of the yoke panels and the yoke piece of the same material, and by having the yoke piece 118 lying flush on the yoke panel 122 the simulation of a conventional yoke can be achieved.

The side edge 123 of the yoke piece 118 is secured to the yoke panel 122 by the lines of stitching 12S and 127. The gap between the inner ends of the lines of stitching 125 and 127 provides an opening between the side edge 123 of the yoke piece 118 and the yoke panel 122 (see FIGURE 13).

The side edge 129 of yoke piece 118 is secured to the yoke panel 122 by lines of stitching 131 and 133. The gap between the inner ends of the lines of stitching 131 and 133 likewise provides an opening, which as can be seen from FIGURE 12 is of the same size as the opening intermediate the lines of stitching 125 and 127.

A shield ply is secured by lines of stitching 135 and 137 beneath the yoke piece 118 and above the yoke panel 122 across the yoke piece 118 intermediate the openings between the lines of stitching and 127 and the lines of stitching 131 and 133. The function of the shield ply is to prevent the epaulet strap 114 with its male snap fastener element from becoming entangled with the yoke piece when the same is inserted into the space intermediate the yoke piece 118 and the yoke panel 122' defined by the openings between the lines of stitching 125 and 127 and the lines of stitching 131 and 133. Since as has heretofore been indicated, the epaulet strap has its minimum width adjacent its male snap fastener element 116, the opening between the lines of stitching 131 and 133 may be smaller than the opening between the lines of stitching 125 and 127, although, this is not essential.

The manner of securing the epauiet is that shown in FIGURE 4.

The present invention may be embodied'in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the fore going specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A short comprising a body, a yoke extending between a collar and a sleeve portidn onsaid body, a yoke piece intermediate the collar and the sleeve portion, said yoke piece having a length less than the distance between the collar and the sleeve portion, means securing the edges of said yoke piece to a juxtaposed ply of said yoke except for two portions where the yoke piece is not joined to said juxtaposed ply, at least one of said two portions where said yoke piece is not joined to said juxtaposed ply having a length less than the width of said yoke piece, said two portions defining an aperture intermediate said yoke piece and juxtaposed ply adjacent to and spaced from the collar portion and an aperture intermediate said yoke piece and said juxtaposed ply adjacent to and spaced from the sleeve portion, said apertures permitting the space intermediate said yoke piece and juxtaposed ply to receive an epaulet strap, said securement means preventing free movement of an epaulet strap extending through said apertures, and said securement means joining said yoke piece to said juxtaposed ply in a manner so that said yoke piece lies substantially flat and is substantially indistinguishable in the absence of an epaulet strap.

2. A shirt in accordance with claim 1 in which a shield ply is secured to the underside of the yoke piece intermediate the apertures, said shield ply being spaced from said juxtaposed ply of the yoke, with an epaulet strap being adapted to pass intermediate said shield ply and said juxtaposed ply.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED ST TES PATENTS 

